The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) represents more than just another bureaucratic planning process. At its core, the CCP embeds key principles: an ongoing collaborative approach built on partnerships, a commitment to science-based adaptive management, and a focus on wildlife, ecology, and aquatic ecosystem health that benefits the entire landscape – from waterways to wetlands and upland habitats. This comprehensive approach ensures the long-term sustainability of both the Refuge and the larger Harney Basin's wildlife, habitats, and human communities.
The process begins with a public meeting on January 29, 2025, from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at the Harney County Chamber of Commerce in Burns, with both in-person and virtual participation options. Anyone wanting to attend is welcome to participate in the full meeting or for whatever window of time works. Subsequent meetings will be held approximately every other month, with about nine gatherings planned over 18 months. High Desert Partnership's event calendar is a good source for meeting information, highdesertpartnership.org/events-resources/event-calendar.
For those interested in participating in this historic process, contact Josey Wilson with the High Desert Partnership at josey@highdesertpartnership.org, with any questions, to be added to the participant list and receive updates about this planning process. You can also contact Jess Wenick, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Manager at jess_wenick@fws.gov.
